Caryatids 2011 – A tribute

45, Asomaton Str.
The residence with the caryatids in Kerameikos has been cherished like no other not only by the Athenians, but also by the city’s visitors. Those who never crossed its doorstep got to know it through the works of many famous Greek artists, like Tsarouchis. When the French photojournalist Henri Cartier Bresson visited Athens in the 50s, he “captured” two stooping old ladies dressed in black, walking under the shadow of the lissome and proud silhouettes of the caryatids. The contrast of the black and white figures, of motion and stillness, of decay and eternal beauty, created a powerful picture, one of Bresson’s most representatives
The building was recently restored by the Ministry of Culture, paying great respect to its original form. The signs of time were masterly wiped out of the caryatids’ faces. Recapturing their old glory and dazzle, the ladies glance at the passers-by, who take a moment to return the glance…
By: Tina Kontogiannopoulos